In excess of 60,000 Escape Sudan's City Following Capture by Rapid Support Forces Militia, United Nations Says
Per the UNHCR, over 60,000 individuals have escaped the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was seized by the militia Rapid Support Forces recently.
Reports indicate mass executions and atrocities as paramilitary forces took control of the city after an year-and-a-half siege marked by starvation and intense shelling.
The movement of those running from the conflict towards the town of Tawila, about 80km (50 miles) to the west of el-Fasher, had grown in the last several days, according to United Nations refugee agency representative.
They were describing terrible stories of violence, including sexual violence, and the humanitarian group was having trouble to secure enough shelter and food for them.
All children was suffering from undernourishment, she commented.
Estimates suggest that in excess of 150,000 residents are presently stranded in el-Fasher, which had been the military's last bastion in the western part of Darfur.
The RSF has denied widespread accusations that the executions in el-Fasher are ethnically motivated and follow a pattern of the Arab paramilitaries focusing on ethnic minorities.
However the paramilitary group has detained one of its members, Abu Lulu, who has been implicated in extrajudicial killings.
The organization distributed footage showing the militiaman's arrest after identification that he was involved in the death of multiple civilians close to el-Fasher.
Video sharing service has acknowledged that it has suspended the channel associated with Lulu. The status remains unclear whether he had managed the account in his identity.
Sudan was plunged into a internal conflict in April 2023 following a intense power struggle began between its military and the RSF.
It has caused a starvation emergency and allegations of genocide in the Darfur area.
In excess of 150,000 persons have been killed in the war throughout the country, and roughly 12 million have fled their dwellings in what the UN has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis.
The takeover of el-Fasher solidifies the territorial division in the country, with the Rapid Support Forces now in command of the western region and significant areas of bordering Kordofan to the southern area, and the military occupying the main city, Khartoum, the center and east along the coastal region.
The two warring rivals had been partners - coming to power together in a coup in 2021 - but fell out over an foreign-endorsed initiative to move towards democratic governance.